Feelgood 08-03-2010

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FULL VOICEThree women overcome fearof speaking in public: 4, 5

HOT STUFFEight soups put tothe taste test: 11

TAKE COVERWeather-proof your skinagainst the cold: 14

FeelgoodFriday, January 8, 2010

Feelgood

Forever youngDamien Grimes joins a fast-increasing number of

Irish men lining up for cosmetic treatments: 8, 9, 10

WINA VIP package to

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010

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Feelgood

EDITORIAL: Irene Feighan 021-4802292 Niamh Kelly 021-4802215ADVERTISING:

HEALTH NOTES

[email protected]

Kate O’Reilly

WHAT’S ON

DIABETES MEETING: The SouthernRegional Office of the Diabetes Federa-tion of Ireland will hold a public educa-tion meeting on Sunday in the QualityHotel, Clonakilty at 2.30pm. Admissionis free and all are welcome.This meeting offers people with dia-

betes an opportunity to review theirgoals and to hear practical tips on howto improve their overall care. The speak-ers — Professor Barry Ferris, retiredconsultant endocrinologist, UCC, andIrene O’Mahony, clinical nutritionist,CUH — will focus on the importance ofadopting a healthy lifestyle in theday-to-day management of diabetes.Over 200,000 people have diabetes in

Ireland and many of those are unawarethat they have the condition.Contact the Southern Region Office

on 021-4274229 or see www.diabetes.iefor general information on diabetes.

DYSLEXIA WORKSHOP: The Corkbranch of the Dyslexia Association ofIreland in association with the Pathwaysto Education Assistive Technology pro-ject will present a Junior CertificateMaths Workshop at CIT from 10am to1.30pm on January 23. The workshopwill explore ways to make the examdyslexia-friendly and is open to secondyear and Junior Cert students. It costs10 and early booking is essential.Call Denise Garde on 087-9831837 for

more information.

SAI MAA: Shiva Nights on January16 and 17 consists of two consecutivenights of chanting and silent meditationin the presence of Sai Maa LakshmiDevi.This is the first event of its kind in Ire-

land, and all are invited to participate inthis opportunity to merge the Celtic tra-dition of wakeful vigil with eastern prac-tices of invocation and purification.Shiva Nights take place from 7pm to

7am each night at the Radisson Blu Ho-tel, Little Island, Cork.The event is being organised by Hu-

manity in Unity, a non-profit organisa-tion that sponsors and supports theteaching and global humanitarian ser-vice of Sai Maa Lakshmi Devi. Humanityin Unity Ireland has group meetings inmany centres around the country in-cluding Cork, Dublin, Galway, Mullingar,and Clonakilty.Registration and more information

from Lisa Hodnett, 087-2244429. Forfurther information see www.hiu.ie.

HEART CLINIC: The Irish Heart Foun-dation will hold a free blood pressureand cholesterol testing clinic atBallinlough Community Centre, Corkfrom 10.30am to noon next Wednesday.For more information, contact the IrishHeart Foundation Cork Office on021-4505822.

■ Items for inclusion in this columncan be sent to [email protected]

NEW LEAF: New research suggests greentea may help with weight loss. Picture:Stockbyte

TURN your unwanted festive gifts intofunds to help Ireland’s most needy older peo-ple by bringing them along to one of AgeAction’s charity shops in Dublin, DunLaoghaire, Galway, Monaghan or Castlebar.“Finding the funding to continue our es-

sential work will be the greatest challenge forus in 2010 — our charity shops are a vitalsource of revenue,” says Age Action’s DaraghMatthews. The charity’s shops can only takeelectrical goods if they are new and in un-opened packaging, while only toys with theCE mark are accepted.

CALLS to the HSE South’s Farm and RuralStress Helpline almost doubled in Decem-ber 2009 compared to the early months ofthe year. While callers continue to cite lone-liness, isolation and depression as major is-sues, the helpline is also hearing from peo-ple worried about the financial challengescurrently posed by farming.“Stress and anxiety are huge factors as

many farmers have large loans taken outand are having huge difficulties gettinggrants and entitlements,” says BrendaCrowley, HSE South mental health resourceofficer, who urges those feeling stressedand lonely to call the helpline on 1800-742645. Staffed by professionals, it’s open dailyfrom 6pm to 10pm.

NINE out of 10 Irish people don’t know thathidden abdominal fat poses a serious healthrisk, according to a report commissioned by

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare.Visceral fat, which surrounds the vital

organs in the abdomen, can’t be seen or feltbut it’s a metabolically active fat that, in ex-cess, increases risk of Type 2 diabetes andheart disease. According to the GSK survey,when people who had previously been un-aware of visceral fat were put in the pictureabout its dangers, 79% said they were moti-vated to lose weight. “Just a little extra vis-ceral fat increases the risk of serious disease,

but modest weight loss decreases it consider-ably,” says Professor Stephan Jacob, who con-tributed to the report.

REGULARLY consuming green tea has apositive effect on weight loss and on thebody shape of moderately-overweightChinese people. The Shanghai Universi-ty-based study monitored the effects ofgreen tea consumption on body weight,body fat mass and fat distribution in 182moderately overweight 18 to 55-year-olds.It concluded that decreases seen after 90

days in body weight, waist circumferenceand intra-abdominal fat were due to cate-chins found abundantly in green tea.For details of the Great Green Tea Work-

out competition (which runs until January31) visit www.lyonstea.ie, where the prize isan eight-week programme with NewEnergyHealth & Fitness personal trainer JohnO’Connell.

THE herbal supplement ginkgo bilobadoesn’t slow cognitive decline, according to astudy published in the Journal of the Ameri-can Medical Association. In the US and Eu-rope, the supplement is the most widely-usedherbal treatment consumed specifically toprevent age-related cognitive decline, but thestudy found no evidence of its effect onmemory, visual-spatial construction, lan-guage, attention and psychomotor speed.

Helen O’Callaghan

The life of BrianPractical and positive — that’s the way to facepancreatic cancer, writes Arlene Harris

PRIME POSITION: Finance Minister BrianLenihan is determined to work through histreatment for cancer. Picture: A Carron / Collins

F INANCE minister, Brian Leni-han has had to become accus-tomed to being in the limelight.

Since he delivered his first budget just 13months ago, he’s had to develop a thickskin to cope with the criticisms hurled athim after each one. It’s part of his job.But so, it now seems, is his private life —

and the recent revelations about the state ofhis health have left the nation and his gov-ernment colleagues reeling.The minister was tight-lipped following

the TV3 exclusive on St Stephen’s Day, butthis week has confirmed the rumour thathe is suffering from pancreatic cancer.With fewer than 400 people diagnosed

with it each year in Ireland, compared withover 2,500 new cases of prostate cancer, itis a relatively uncommon disease. But de-spite its rarity, the effects can be devastating— up to 500 people die from cancer of thepancreas in Ireland every year. (Hollywoodactor, Patrick Swayze passed away last year,aged 57, after battling the illness for twoyears.)According to the Irish Cancer Society,

the number of cases is likely to increase to600 per annum over the next 20 years dueto lifestyle habits.A spokeswoman for the ICS says: “The

exact cause of this cancer, which begins inthe cells lining the head of the pancreas, isunknown.”What is known is that certain factors can

increase your risks of developing the disease

— including the following:■ Smoking■ Diet high in fat and sugar■ Diabetes■ Chronic pancreatitis■ Family history and inherited conditions■ Working with hazardous chemicals.“You are three times more likely to de-

velop pancreatic cancer if you smoke. Thisis especially true if you have a relative whohas also had the condition,” she warns. Ifdetected early enough, there is a moderate-ly good chance of beating pancreatic can-cer through surgery and/or chemotherapy.But it can be hard to diagnose becausethere may be no signs in the early stages.However, common symptoms include:

■ Pain or discomfort in stomach area,spreading to back

■ Unexplained weight loss■ Jaundice — yellow, itchy skin■ dark urine, pale stools■ Loss of appetite■ Feeling full very quickly■ Nausea/vomiting■ Recently-diagnosed diabetes

■ For more information, call ICS on1800-200700.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010Feelgood

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No matter howembarrassed you

feel about aproblem, you

should go and seeyour GP

THE SHAPE I'M IN Shane Byrne

GOODTIMES:Shanewould loveto get backto theshape hewas inwhenplayingrugbyprofessionally.

Lining out for menIF RUGBY legend Shane Byrne has one New Year wishfor Irish men, it’s that they mind their health, tacklehealth problems head-on and not sidestep their GP.The man who won 41 caps for Ireland and who earned

a reputation as one of the most accurate line-out throwersin the world, says males are inclined to cultivate a “ma-cho aura” around their health.“No matter how embarrassed you feel about a problem,

you should go and see your GP. Nine times out of 10 it’ssomething very minor and can be fixed. Even the moreserious stuff can be helped if treated early,” says the38-year-old, who launched the Men of Ireland – DefendYour Health campaign with Dublin family doctorMichael O’Brien towards the end of 2009.Shane, who brought Irish rugby to a new level in the

2004 Triple Crown, misses playing at that level.“Forever and a day, I will miss it, particularly because I

haven’t been out of it that long. But it’s something I justhave to get over — it was incredible while it lasted.”Along with his brother, Billy, he runs Arklow Waste

Disposal, a family company they inherited from their fa-ther. Married to Caroline, Shane is dad to seven-year-oldtwin girls Alex and Kerry.

What shape are you in?Since retiring from an 18-year career playing seniorrugby, I’m certainly enjoying not saying “no” too oftento the good things of life, but I’m not in as good shape asI used to be. I still dabble in rugby though with the localclub.

Do you have any health concerns?I’m lucky in that I managed to stay injury-free, but I’mcoming into an age bracket where I have to take care ofmyself. Good friends of mine have died recently fromcancer, so I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on my health.

What are your healthiest eating habits?I’m a big fan of having three square meals a day. Break-fast is particularly important for kick-starting yourmetabolism. Mine would be toast-based, sometime sand-wiches or maybe Weetabix — whatever taste takes me.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?Since I retired from rugby I’ve discovered I’m a choco-holic. I’m mad about it – yet I never knew this when mybody fitness was tied up with earning a living.

What would keep you awake at night?There’s always stress involved in running a company. It’snot a nice time to be a business owner. I try to ensurethat our employees are okay and that our company has afuture, but I do lie in bed a lot, planning ahead. EitherI wake too early or I realise I haven’t fallen asleep yetbecause I’ve been thinking about business.

How do you relax?By spending time with my family, thoughthere’s always something going on in the back-ground. We haven’t been on holiday for a cou-ple of years now. I like to play golf and go on tripswith old rugby mates, re-living the heyday.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner par-ty?I read a book recently about the Flight of the Earls,so I’d love to invite Hugh O’Neill to dinner.

When did you last cry?It was very recently, when Alec Flavin, the fatherof a friend of mine died. I lived in their housegrowing up and the horrible thing was I wasout of the country for the funeral andcouldn’t physically make it back.

What would you change about yourappearance?As a professional rugby player, I was al-ways very conscious of my physical appear-ance. I was forever trying to increase mysize or make myself leaner. It was only afterI retired that I realised I’d been in greatshape. I’d love to get back to that shape

now and be comfortable in it, which I wasn’t then.

What’s your favourite smell?Home cooking — Caroline’s a fantastic cook.

What trait do you least like in others?The begrudger, who’s got a chip on their shoulder andthink they deserve something for nothing.

What trait do you like least in yourself?I’m fiercely pig-headed and strong-willed. If I have anopinion on something, I’ll argue black is white until some-one proves me wrong. I don’t know if I’d like to change itbut it annoys the hell out of everyone.

Do you pray?Yes, I do, regularly.

What small thing would cheer up your day?The kids usually ring me at 5.30pm wondering where Iam and will I be home for dinner. Now they’ve startedmessing, putting on voices and pretending to be someoneelse. That always cheers me up.

Helen O’Callaghan

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No matter howembarrassed you

feel about aproblem, you

should go and seeyour GP

THE SHAPE I'M IN Shane Byrne

GOODTIMES:Shane

wouldlove to getback tothe shapehe was inwhenplayingrugbyfull-time.Picture:ConorHealyPhotography

Lining out for menIF RUGBY legend Shane Byrne has one New Year wishfor Irish men, it’s that they mind their health, tacklehealth problems head-on and not sidestep their GP.The man who won 41 caps for Ireland and who earned

a reputation as one of the most accurate line-out throwersin the world, says males are inclined to cultivate a “ma-cho aura” around their health.“No matter how embarrassed you feel about a problem,

you should go and see your GP. Nine times out of 10 it’ssomething very minor and can be fixed. Even the moreserious stuff can be helped if treated early,” says the38-year-old, who launched the Men of Ireland – DefendYour Health campaign with Dublin family doctorMichael O’Brien towards the end of 2009.Shane, who brought Irish rugby to a new level in the

2004 Triple Crown, misses playing at that level.“Forever and a day, I will miss it, particularly because I

haven’t been out of it that long. But it’s something I justhave to get over — it was incredible while it lasted.”Along with his brother, Billy, he runs Arklow Waste

Disposal, a family company they inherited from their fa-ther. Married to Caroline, Shane is dad to seven-year-oldtwin girls Alex and Kerry.

What shape are you in?Since retiring from an 18-year career playing seniorrugby, I’m certainly enjoying not saying “no” too oftento the good things of life, but I’m not in as good shape asI used to be. I still dabble in rugby though with the localclub.

Do you have any health concerns?I’m lucky in that I managed to stay injury-free, but I’mcoming into an age bracket where I have to take care ofmyself. Good friends of mine have died recently fromcancer, so I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on my health.

What are your healthiest eating habits?I’m a big fan of having three square meals a day. Break-fast is particularly important for kick-starting yourmetabolism. Mine would be toast-based, sometime sand-wiches or maybe Weetabix — whatever taste takes me.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?Since I retired from rugby I’ve discovered I’m a choco-holic. I’m mad about it – yet I never knew this when mybody fitness was tied up with earning a living.

What would keep you awake at night?There’s always stress involved in running a company. It’snot a nice time to be a business owner. I try to ensurethat our employees are okay and that our company hasa future, but I do lie in bed a lot, planning ahead. Ei-ther I wake too early or I realise I haven’t fallenasleep yet because I’ve been thinking about business.

How do you relax?By spending time with my family, thoughthere’s always something going on in the back-ground. We haven’t been on holiday for a cou-ple of years now. I like to play golf and go ontrips with old rugby mates, re-living the heyday.

Who would you invite to your dream dinnerparty?I read a book recently about the Flight of the Earls,so I’d love to invite Hugh O’Neill to dinner.

When did you last cry?It was very recently, when Alec Flavin, the fa-ther of a friend of mine died. I lived in theirhouse growing up and the horrible thing wasI was out of the country for the funeral andcouldn’t physically make it back.

What would you change about yourappearance?As a professional rugby player, I was al-ways very conscious of my physical ap-pearance. I was forever trying to increasemy size or make myself leaner. It was onlyafter I retired that I realised I’d been ingreat shape. I’d love to get back to that

shape now and be comfortable in it, which I wasn’t then.

What’s your favourite smell?Home cooking — Caroline’s a fantastic cook.

What trait do you least like in others?The begrudger, who’s got a chip on their shoulder andthink they deserve something for nothing.

What trait do you like least in yourself?I’m fiercely pig-headed and strong-willed. If I have anopinion on something, I’ll argue black is white until some-one proves me wrong. I don’t know if I’d like to change itbut it annoys the hell out of everyone.

Do you pray?Yes, I do, regularly.

What small thing would cheer up your day?The kids usually ring me at 5.30pm wondering where Iam and will I be home for dinner. Now they’ve startedmessing, putting on voices and pretending to be someoneelse. That always cheers me up.

Helen O’Callaghan

Volunteerfor Cura?

cura cares

Meet with us and find out moreat our Information Day at34 Paul Street, Corkat 11am on Monday,January 18th, 2010

Crisis Pregnancy Servicewww.cura.ie

email: [email protected]: 021 4277544

THE FEELGOODPERSONALSFOR COST EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING

Phone: LORI FRASERTel. 021-4802265 Fax [email protected]

Every Friday.

FEELGOOD


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Feelgood Feelgood

Stepping right up

At a funeral, the average personwould rather be in the casket thangiving the eulogy, joked comedian

Jerry Seinfeld

■ Know your subject. The more comfort-

able you are with the content of your

speech, the more relaxed you will be

giving it.

■ Practice. Read your speech to your-

self. Tape yourself. Give your speech

while looking in the mirror. Continue un-

til you feel totally comfortable.

■ Have a trial run. Ask a friend to listen to

you and give honest feedback.

■ Think ahead. When giving your speech,

have solutions to potential problems to hand.

For example, have a glass of water within reach

so that your mouth doesn’t dry and if your

knees knock together, shift your weight so that

you are properly balanced.

■ Visualise yourself doing well. According

to the experts, the more you tell yourself you’ll

be fine, the greater the chances you will be.

to the podium

Picture: iStock

Many people have a dread of speaking in public. Sharon Ní Chonchúir meets three individuals who have managed to control their fears

TOAST MASTER:Wendy Delaneycouldn’t sleep fordays beforemaking a speech.Picture: Billy Higgins

SPEAK EASY: Teresa Lehane says almost everybodygets nervous before speaking in public. Picture: DenisScannell

BUSINESSWOMAN:FrancesAbeton usedEmotionalFreedomTechniques.Picture: BillyHiggins

YOUR mouth is dry. Yourknees are knocking. And youare shaking with fear. There

can be only one explanation: you’ve beenasked to speak in public.A high-profile survey carried out in

1970s America revealed that fear of pub-lic speaking ranked higher in most peo-ple’s minds than fear of death. “In otherwords,” joked comedian Jerry Seinfeld,“at a funeral, the average person wouldrather be in the casket than giving theeulogy.”This fear seems to be prevalent in Ire-

land today. “I’ve worked with hundredsof people who do everything they can tododge speaking in public because they aretoo frightened,” says Sandra Sheerin, di-rector of the Public Speaking Institute ofIreland.Through her work, Sheerin has helped

these people overcome their fears. “Theymay not enjoy public speaking by the endbut they are no longer afraid,” she says.“They realise they can do it.”Meet three women who — using three

different techniques — have arrived atthis same conclusion.

1. Former nurse Wendy Delaneyfrom Dublin discovered her fear of publicspeaking late in life.“I’d never put myself forward for dramaor anything at school so I didn’t realise Iwas frightened until I was faced with do-ing it,” she says.Following a promotion at work, Wendy

was sent on a management trainingcourse. One of her tasks involved givinga short presentation to her peers.“I couldn’t speak,” she says. “My heart

was beating so loudly in my ears Icouldn’t hear anybody else. It was themost awful hurdle I’d ever encountered.”It was a hurdle Wendy struggled to

overcome. Later in her career, she wasasked to give talks to groups of up to 70young nurses.“It was unbelievable,” she says. “I’d

have trouble sleeping a week in advanceand wouldn’t sleep at all the twonights beforehand.”It was even worse on the day it-

self. “Nothing came out when Iopened my mouth,” recalls Wendy.“The most I could manage was ashaky croak. I just couldn’t con-trol my fear.”As Wendy’s career pro-

gressed, she was given theopportunity to do some-thing about this. She at-tended courses whichtaught her coping tech-niques.The first was prepa-

ration. “I make sure Iknow my stuff,” shesays. The second ispractice, some-thing Wendydoes by her-self and

in front of trusted friends.Thirdly, she concentrates on breathing and

posture. “It sounds silly but breathing deeplyand standing on both feet when you’re speak-ing makes a huge difference,” she says.Finally, Wendy anticipates problems. “Be-

cause I know I won’t sleep two nights in ad-vance, I get more sleep prior to that,” shesays. While she may not have completelyovercome her fear, these techniques allowWendy to control it. She proved this whenshe spoke at a national nursing conference 20years ago.“I spoke in front of 400 people at the Roy-

al College of Surgeons. My voice went atfirst but I drank water, breathed deeply andjoked about it. My voice eventually found itsstrength and 40 minutes later, it was over.”

2. Teresa Lehane from Blackpool in Corkhas always been shy. “I was an excruciatinglyshy child and I’ve been trying to deal with itever since,” she says.She used to read self-help books but that

was before she encountered Toastmasters —an international organisation that aims tohelp people develop public speaking skills.Teresa went to her first meeting three years

ago. “I found a safe and encouraging atmo-sphere there that’s helped me hugely,” shesays.Toastmasters clubs worldwide follow much

the same structure. There are typically 20 orso members in a club and they meet fort-nightly.“The president, toastmaster and topics mas-

ter control the meeting,” says Teresa. “Thetoastmaster is the MC for the night and thetopics master calls on members to speak onrandom topics.”It may sound daunting but Teresa reassures

us it’s not. “It’s a great way of learning tothink on your feet,” she says. “And don’tworry — newcomers won’t be called on tospeak until they’re ready.”Evaluations form part of the process. Each

member works on a series of objectives at ev-ery meeting. “It might be making eye con-tact or controlling your body language butyou’ll give a four-minute speech in whichyou show you’ve mastered these skills,”says Teresa. “You’ll be evaluated at theend. Again, there’s no need to worrybecause the recommendations are al-ways encouraging. Everyone at Toast-masters is the same. They understandyour fears.”

Thanks to Toastmasters, Teresabelieves she has finally overcome herlifelong shyness And she has evenappeared on TV.“I spoke about my involvement with

a city allotment on Corrigan’s CityFarm,” she says. “When he asked mequestions, I was able to think quicklyand I wasn’t as nervous as the others.”One of the most important lessons

Teresa has learned is that almost every-one fears public speaking.“My friend was on stage with Minis-

ter Mary Harney once and she saw herhands tremble before she spoke,” saysTeresa.

“That proves everyone gets nervous.”And everyone can overcome nervousness.

“It takes work but you can do it,” she says.

3. Frances Abeton, CEO of EmergedManaged Services, comes across as the ulti-mate confident businesswoman. Few wouldbelieve she once dreaded public speaking.“I would avoid it if I could,” she says.

“When I couldn’t, I’d speak very fast and al-ways feel like a terrible failure afterwards.”Once she set up her own company, Frances

realised she’d have to address the issue. Shestarted with counselling, moved on to coach-ing and eventually tried hypnotherapy.She was frightened of hypnosis but her fear

of public speaking was stronger. “I would saymy fear scored nine out of 10,” she says. “So,hypnosis had to be worth a shot.”Her hypnotist brought Frances back to the

situation she thought was at the root of herfear.“I went back into my past and changed it,”

she remembers.While this had a positive effect, it wasn’t

enough for Frances. “It didn’t totally solvethe problem,” she says. “It took the bluntedge off the sword but it didn’t give me thecoping tools I wanted.”She continued to try different therapies un-

til she discovered Emotional Freedom Tech-niques (EFT).

According to EFT, everything is linked toemotions.“Different traumas in life — such as be-

ing teased for being bad at reading aloud inclass — get trapped in your emotionalmemory and transferred to future events,”explains Frances. “When you get called onto read or speak in the future, you feel thesame emotions.”EFT involves tapping key parts of the

body to release these emotions. “Unlikeother therapies, you learn how to do ityourself,” says Frances. “Now, before I getup to speak, I do some EFT and I canmanage my fear. It’s helped me to becomethe person I am today.”

Tips toovercomeyour fearof publicspeaking


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Stepping right up


Jerry Seinfeld




giving it.
















to the podium

Picture: iStock

















































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Stepping right up


Jerry Seinfeld




giving it.
















to the podium

Picture: iStock

















































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Feelgood

JUST A LITTLE TWEAKSince the Pill

was introduced,women don’t

tend to favourbig alpha males

as partners.They go for

metro-sexualtypes — clean,

tidy,well-groomedmen. Men are

becoming moremetro-sexual as

a result

GORDON RAMSAY has hadBotox and dermal fillers to re-duce the deepest wrinkles on

his face. The volatile celebrity chef is thepublic face of a growing trend among men— their refusal to put up with frowningbrows, sagging jowls, meaty waistlines andman-boobs, when they could have themeliminated or reduced in quick, non-surgi-cal procedures with little downtime.Fourteen percent of clients who attend

Dublin’s Harley Medical Group clinic aremale, up from 9% five years ago.“One in five Botox injections we did in

Dublin last year were on men,” says thegroup’s director, Liz Dale, who finds thatmen view cosmetic procedures as ‘correc-tive’ rather than as ‘about appearance’.“They’ll have had an injury playing foot-

ball. They’ll have hurt their nose or they’llwant their ears pinned back. With men,it’s more they’re putting something rightrather than doing something for their ap-pearance,” she says.At the Ailesbury Clinic, Dublin, where

50% of liposuction and 15% of Botoxclients are male, medical director, DrPatrick Treacy, says men’s growing readi-ness to opt for cosmetic fixers is down tothe increased ‘hormonisation’ of women,courtesy of the oral contraceptive pill. Sci-entists now say the hormones in the Pillsuppress a woman’s interest in macho men,but make boyish looking men more attrac-tive — a case of Kurt Douglas from the’50s versus Jude Law from the noughties.“Over the last 30 years, the mass hor-

monisation of women is having an effect.Since the Pill was introduced, womendon’t tend to favour big alpha males aspartners. They go for metro-sexual types— clean, tidy, well-groomed men. Menare becoming more metro-sexual, as a re-sult — coming into clinics for beard orchest hair removal,” he says.Male clients attending The

Hospital Group’s clinics want tobanish eye-bags, man-boobs, andtummy blubber. “They want ex-cess skin on their eyelids removed.Some look for thigh and armlifts,” says Aisling Holly, MD ofThe Hospital Group Ireland,where males account for 20% ofclients. “It’s not only thehigh-fliers who come for cosmet-ic procedures. We see everythingfrom hairdressers totruck-drivers.”While you might expect the re-

cession to erode what many consider aluxury business, this isn’t necessarily so,says Holly, who’s seen a new type of maleclient emerge with the economic down-swing.“The middle-aged, separated man was

always a big male market for cosmetictreatments.“Now, we’re seeing professionals — so-

licitors, accountants — who’ve been maderedundant. They’re on the circuit again,looking for employment — except, nowthey’re middle-aged, in competition withyounger candidates. They feel they look

tired or they’ve got frown lines that givethem an angry look. They feel it’s time fora positive change,” she says.So — for males who’ve had enough of

man-boobs, double chins and excessivesweating — what types of non-surgical‘man-jabs’ are on offer?

EYE-BAGS

Treatment — Restylane tear troughtreatment. A 15-minute, minimally inva-sive alternative to eye surgery, in whichtiny injections of hyaluronic acid (foundnaturally in the body) are put into the hol-low skin under the eyes, without anaes-thetic, then massaged into the area, lastingaround nine months.Risks — swelling/bruising can takeabout a month to settle and lumps of col-lagen may form on treatment site.Results — works best on dark circles orbags around eyes that are surrounded by adeep ring. In about 5% of cases, treatmentdoesn’t work, but can be dissolved withinjections of hyaluronidase.Cost — starts at 450.

MAN-BOOBS, DOUBLE CHIN,LOVE HANDLES

Treatment — vaser lipo. Advanced formof liposuction, it selectively removes un-wanted body fat, using ultrasound technol-ogy, while preserving nerves, blood vesselsand connective tissue. Also good for treat-ing fleshy thighs/knees/buttocks/hips.Area is filled with a special, numbing salinesolution that shrinks blood vessels. A smallprobe transmits sound energy, breaking upfatty tissue on contact. Liquefied fat is re-moved through suction. Up to three litresof fat can be removed at a time. Procedurelasts about 90 minutes.

To work out how much fattytissue can be taken from thebody, stand and bend from thewaist — the amount ofloose-hanging fat you can easilygrab above/below your waist ap-proximates to what can be re-moved.Procedure isn’t intended as a

weight-loss tool, but to create aslimmer silhouette. “We have toturn away some men, becausethey’ve got visceral fat, whichyou can’t reach by liposuction(beer belly, fat around the liver

or under the muscle) rather thansubcutaneous fat,” says Dr Treacy.Risks — low to minimalpain/swelling/bruising. Slight risk of infec-tion — patients take preventative antibioticfor three days post-treatment. One percentburn risk from ultrasonic probe. Blis-ter-like spots (seromas) may develop.Results — many patients see results im-mediately after treatment, with the finalresult at around three to six months. Oncefat’s removed, it’s gone, and, assuming ahealthy lifestyle of good diet and exercise,it won’t return or migrate. However, be-cause fat’s essential to a healthy body, some

essential fat layers in any given site remainuntreated.Cost — 2,000 to 2,500 for one area.

BALDNESS

Treatment — hair transplantation isabout moving hair from the back of thehead, where hair is more resistant,even in those susceptible to hairloss. Until recently, it was thoughthair should be transplanted as aunit, taking with it sweat glands,nerve tissue and blood supply.“People mistakenly believed parts

of the scalp had to be cut out tokeep the hair follicle alive,” says DrPatrick Treacy, a pioneer of theAilesbury hair implant method,where a specially-patented toolharvests each hair follicle individu-ally and transplants it into the re-quired area, eliminating the needfor surgery/stitches.With males accounting for 95% of hair

transplant clients at Ailesbury, the patient’sfirst given some local anaesthetic at theback of the head, which numbs all scalpnerves. For the first hour or two, ‘good’hair is harvested from the back of the headand follicles are removed. The second halfof the procedure sees follicles implanted inthe required area.Risks — there’s no scarring, thoughscalp can look red for up to 24 hours.Results — can take up to 10 months forhair to begin growing naturally, but you’re

100% guaranteed hair will grow in the re-quired area, says Dr Treacy.Cost — averages about 4,500.

SMOKERS’ LINES AROUND LIPS

Treatment — facial fillers, such as Evo-lence (collagen-based) or Juvederm

(hyaluronic acid), are injectedinto the unwanted line, wherethe doctor has already put somenumbing cream. Procedure isalso good for ironing out deepfrowns on the forehead, as wellas the nasal-labial line (line run-ning from nose to mouth).Takes no more than 30 minutesand isn’t painful, says AislingHolly, of The Hospital Group.

Risks — there’s minimal fric-tion, but you could get an al-lergic reaction, soreness, orswelling. At The HospitalGroup, the client is given a

24-hour hotline to ring, if there’s any con-cern.Results — instant deep crevices arefilled out straightaway, says Ms Holly. Ef-fect lasts six to nine months.Cost — ranges from 350- 550.

FROWN LINES/ANXIOUS LOOK

Treatment — Botox is injected intoforehead for frown lines or horizontallines, and also into ‘crows’ feet’. A smallerneedle is used than for fillers and the injec-

tion doesn’t go as deep. Client can getthree areas done in 20-30 minutes.Risks — soreness, mild bruising,headache, and, very rarely, a drooping eye-lid, which wears off as treatment does.Results — a small percentage may notsee results, says Aisling Holly. “It can takeup to three days to see the effects ofBotox. Somebody of 60 won’t look 40,but they will have a smoother, moreyouthful appearance. Effects should lastfour to six months.”Cost — 295 for one area.

HAIRY BACK

Treatment — laser hair removal. Malesnumber 35% of hair removal clients at theHarley Medical Group, with chests andbacks popular areas to be ‘done’. Usinglight energy, laser destroys the hair follicle,leading to permanent reduction in hairgrowth. Treatment takes place over acourse of six to 12 sessions, with each ses-sion lasting anything from 25 minutes —back/chest could each take 90 minutes.Procedure feels like an elastic band snap-ping against the skin.Risks — skin likely to be red. Some-times, heat rash occurs, but should dissi-pate one to eight hours post-treatment.Superficial skin-flaking and scabbing canoccur. Slight blistering is rarer.

Results — destroyed hair roots fall outbetween treatments. “If hair grows back,it’s much finer and growth is patchier,”says Hannah Roberts, Harley MedicalGroup assistant regional manager.Cost — 765 for one treatment onthe back, four treatments cost 2,000.

EXCESSIVE SWEATING (un-der-arm/palms of hands)

Treatment — Botox is injected intosweat glands. How many injections de-pends on how many sweat glands. “Anoverweight person could have a very bigarmpit,” says Hannah Roberts. Treat-ment, which can sting, lasts 20-30 min-utes, depending on extent of problem.Risks — if excessive sweating isn’t dueto anxiety, but to a medical issue, theman may sweat more elsewhere on hisbody.Results — “There’s a massive im-provement,” says Ms Roberts. “Mencome to us saying they have to take threeshirts to work, because they become sostained with sweat. After treatment, youwould expect virtually no sweating. Twoweeks post-treatment, they come backfor review and the doctor tops up treat-ment on any remaining, active sweatglands.” Effect lasts nine months.Cost — 800 per treatment.

JUST A LITTLE TWEAKdouble chins, love handles and hair loss are some of the reasons more men are opting for non-surgical procedures. Helen O’Callaghan reports

■ Two men share their stories, page 10

Frown lines,

Celebritychef Gordon

Ramsay isthe publicface of agrowing

trendamong men

— theirrising

refusal toput up with

frowningbrows,

saggingjowls,meaty

waistlinesPicture: PA Photo

FACING CHANGE: Dr Patrick Treacy, says men’s growing readiness to opt for cosmetic fixers is down to the increased ‘hormonisation’ ofwomen, courtesy of the oral contraceptive pill.

Picture: Getty Images Picture: Getty Images


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Feelgood

Itwasvery important formyconfidence that I had hair

FREELANCE hair and make-upartist Patrick Warnock, 50, livesin Malahide. A lone parent, his

son is 17. Patrick has had fillers in the hol-lows between mouth and nose and Botox.“I first had Botox when I was 40 and liv-

ing in London. I was bringing up my sonand day-to-day living in a big city washard. I just wasn’t looking my best. Ilooked very tired.“A friend had Botox and he looked so

fresh. I had it done on the crows’ feet andthe forehead. You need to get Botoxtopped up every six months but it dependson what funds I’ve got.“I had fillers for the first time five years

ago. I don’t really like them. With Botox,you don’t feel anything, whereas with fillersit’s like having a cushion under your skin.What I like about Botox is it reverses anyanxiety lines that age has left. You settle in-to a different look as you age — Botoxgives you back your youth.“People ask why I don’t age gracefully. I

look at the person asking and it’s alwaysmen who’ve let themselves go — they’vegot a pot belly and they’re older than theiryears. The only woman who ever askedwas a nice settled mammy, gettingmiddle-age spread. I think, if you’re happylike that, fine, but why expect others to be?“If you’re going for any cosmetic proce-

dure, do your research first. There are peo-

Botoxgivesyoubackyouryouthple doing Botox who shouldn’t be makingtea. I go to the Hospital Group.“Some people think you get cosmetic

work done because of insecurity. It’s noth-

ing to do with that. If a woman sees a beau-tiful dress, she wants it because she knowsshe’ll look good in it. It’s the same philoso-phy.”

People askwhy I don’t age

gracefully. Ilook at the

person askingand it’s always

men who’velet themselves

go

HAIR TODAY:DamienGrimes sayshe hasnoticed asignificantdifferenceafter threehair implantsessions.Picture:Feargal Ward

LOUTH-BASED DamienGrimes, 45, and his wife Geral-dine run an event management

company. Damien has had hair implanttreatments at the Ailesbury Clinic.“When I was 25, my hair started thin-

ning. By age 35 I had a very high hair-line. And I had a round spot of baldnesson the crown. I was losing it from frontand back — it was working it’s way tothe middle.”Damien tried laser, which didn’t work.

He resorted to wearing a wig for a fewyears. “I’m quite active and go to thegym a lot. When you sweat, you have totake off the wig, which is latex-backed. Itwas very embarrassing. I just didn’t wantto be bald. It was very important for myconfidence that I had hair.”Encouraged by a friend, who’d heard

about the Ailesbury Hair ImplantMethod, Damien decided to go for thetreatment.“Geraldine certainly encouraged me

too. In a lot of relationships, what thewoman thinks determines what the manthinks.“I liked the fact this wasn’t invasive

surgery — it’s a simple day procedure. It’sa difficult decision though — you worryin case something goes wrong — but allthrough treatment I didn’t worry becauseat every stage I was informed about whatwould happen.“I’ve had three treatments — the first

in August 2006 on the front of my head,the second in January ’08 sorted out the

bald spot on my crown and the third beforelast Christmas, just to thicken the hair more— but I had to get my hair shaved first andit’s still growing back.“Afterwards, you get a little swelling from

the anaesthetic, which dies down within afew days. You’re given an antibiotic to pre-vent infection and you spray on a saline solu-tion to keep your head sterilised.“Five months after the first treatment, I saw

a very significant difference. Between 10and 12 months later, I saw the full effect.The whole thing has really improved myself-confidence. I feel a lot better. I likethe way it looks — having hair.”

Picture: Maura Hickey


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Roz Crowley

A bowl ofgoodness

Picture: iStock

SOUPS are one of the bestready-made foods to get usthrough busy times and, just

when temptation is at its worst, can stop usfrom eating foods that have much more fatand sugar.While my recipe last week is more eco-

nomical, we get quite good value fromready-made soups if they are made well andhave minimal additives. It’s difficult for man-ufacturers to keep salt out of their soups, asthey can be quite tasteless without it. I preferto see salt on a label rather than monosodiumglutamate (msg), other flavour enhancers andstale, dried herbs, which was a fault wefound in previous surveys. However, it wouldbe all too easy for our recommended dailyallowance of salt to be consumed in one por-tion of soup. We need no more than a gramof salt per day, but if you eat some of thesoups we tested this week, you should steerclear of salt for the rest of the day.When tasting these soups, in many cases I

craved something sweet afterwards, which isone of the problems with salty foods, as thebody craves balance — a piece of fruit is thebest way to get your sugar fix.This time, it seems that producers have lift-

ed their game. Perhaps readers of this pageare voting with their feet and avoiding theworst. None of the samples this time wereinedible, and, in a rush, even the worst couldhave a few sausages, black pudding, orsmoked or fresh fish added to make a quicksupper. Put on some pasta, noodles, or rice atthe same time and a pretty good meal couldbe on the table in less than 15 minutes.An advantage of these soups is that most

keep well, even the fresh ones, which have ashelf life of almost a month.

Avonmore Carrot, Coriander & FennelSeed, 600g 2.69

A good smooth texture and some softcarrot pieces make this a pleasant soupwith a fresh taste. However, there is noobvious taste of coriander and fennelseeds. Modified maize starch is used tothicken, but not too much. A high 4g ofsalt per carton, serving two, is high.Gluten-free.

Score: 7

Douglas Hide Good Food CompanyChunky Vegetable Soup, 500g 1.99

Potatoes, onions, leeks, carrots, sweet-corn and celery are all visible ingredientsin this soup, which is thickened slightlywith wheat flour and has plenty of chunksto provide a substantial bite. A naturaltaste, the finish is quite peppery, with ahigh salt content of 5g for the carton,which is enough for two.Score 7.75

Heinz Farmers’ Market Three Bean andSmoked Bacon Soup, 515g 1.59

This canned soup delivers a strong baconflavour along with some stringy bacon bits,which give it some bite. Plenty of substan-tial beans are flavoursome, and tomatoesgive it some depth. Modified cornflour isused as thickener and gives it a slightgloopiness and shine, whichis not as natural as wewould like. Salt is 3.2g percan, which easily servestwo.Score 5

Marks & Spencer Winter VegetableSoup, 415g, 1.49

With a base thickened with cornflour,this soup has a pleasant texture. It comeswith 2% red lentils and soft vegetablechunks, which includes flavoursome car-rot, tomato puree with a lot of pepper onthe finish. An enjoyable taste, with 2g ofsalt per can, which is enough fortwo small portions.Score: 6.75

Justfood Organic Spicy LentilSoup, 670ml 3.75

WITH a third more soup than most sam-ples, this is particularly good value, giventhe amount of protein in the lentils, whichmake quite a meal. The spices includeginger and mustard seeds, which are live-ly and fresh and calmed by the addition ofcoconut milk. The small puy lentils keeptheir shape and make a good base for asupper with a few sausages, leftovermeats, or other vegetablesadded. For something differ-ent, try a poached egg ontop. Genuine tastes, allguaranteed organic, low fatwith olive oil used instead ofbutter. The least fat of theeight soups we sampled.Score 9.25

Cully & Sully White Winter VegetableSoup, 400g 1.99

In a class above many of our samples,this soup has a deep, natural flavour.Parsnips and leeks provide a warm sweet-ness, cauliflower adds texture, fresh creamand butter a silkiness. Delicious. Salt is1.6g per carton. Gluten free. A good buy.Score 9

Tesco Finest Spiced ButternutSquash, Sweet Potato + PumpkinSoup 400g, 1.99

The hit of ginger, cumin and coriander,on first taste, is not followed through withany depth of flavour from the other ingre-dients, so this is a less satisfying soupthan first expected. Texture is slightly grit-ty, from not over-pro-cessed vegetables, andpleasantly creamy with3% of added cream.

Salt is 1.8g per pouch,which is enough for oneor two small servings.Score: 4

Baxter’s Pea-Ham Soup, 415g 1.04

This canned soup can keep for years with-out a huge number of additives and is madefrom split green peas, potatoes, carrots,onions, smoked ham, peas, cornflour, greenpea flour, salt and white pepper. With a rela-tively short list of ingredients, the mainproblem here is that an added smoked-hamflavouring dominates, withan unnatural smokinessthat overpowers the deli-cate pea flavour. A pleas-ant, slightly creamy tex-ture results in an overall,warming soup with 2.4gsalt per can.Score: 4.5


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Feelgood

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLD

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLD

NOTE: The information contained in Dr Houston’s column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor first

Dr Niamh Houston is aGP with a specialinterest in integrativemedicine. If you have aquestion about your child’shealth email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Dr NiamhHouston

FAMILY

TELLING a child to look forward to a treatis like handing a burglar the safe, withoutthe combination. Expectation gives way toimpatience and good humour turns sour.My mistake was promising a trip to the

panto 24 hours too soon. The upshot was aday that almost drove me insane.“We’re going to see Jack and the

Beanstalk,” I announced, one Januarymorn, unwittingly opening a can of wormsas Lughaidh responded true to form.“Jack?” “I’m going to see Jack’s house?”

he asked, delighted with the promise thisheld. Unfortunately the Jack that he had inmind was not from the fairytale.I tried to explain it was a “different” Jack

but confusion continued to reign. Despitemy best efforts he could not understandhow two people can share the same name.Interrogations continued to try and es-

tablish what I meant by a “different” Jack.

Forty questions later we were still on thetopic, despite every effort to change tack.Was it cousin Jack from down the

road? Surely the answer was “yes”? Andcould he go to his house right now? Andwhat beanstalk did he possess? And whatwas a beanstalk and where would he findone and why did Jack need one? Andwhat was a panto and where was theOpera House and, by verbal torture, whatdid I mean?Come curtain up I was fit for the mad-

house and prayed for the panto to rock.As we entered the theatre, Lughaidh heldback, clearly in some state of shock.“THIS IS JACK’S HOUSE?” he asked,blown away by its scale, wide-eyed, rev-erent, gob-smacked.Momentarily speechless on entering

the auditorium, he quickly regained hiscomposure.

“ARE THESE ALL JACK’S FRIENDS?” heroared, surveying the huge crowd gath-ered in the vaulted enclosure.Before I could answer the drama kicked

off and the man of the moment appeared.Responding as one, the applause beganand Jack’s “friends” spontaneouslycheered.“Is that Jack?” Lughaidh whispered,

clearly in awe of this chap who inspiredsuch devotion. My answer of “yes” wasclearance to cheer and join the generalapprobation.For the rest of the show, Lughaidh was

hooked, star struck by his new best friend.When he tussled with the giant, Lughaidhleapt from his seat, ready to rush to hisdefence.When the show drew to a close and the

time came to depart, Lughaidh wept forthe man who had captured his little heart.

CHECK UP: Withchildren underfive, doctors relyon the history ofsymptoms givenby parents beforemaking adiagnosis ofasthma.Picture: iStock

QMY four year old coughs a lotespecially when he has beenout playing. What could thisbe a sign of? He seems fine inhimself otherwise.

A. Frequent coughing spells which occurwhen playing, after sports, while laughing,or at night can be a sign of asthma. Othersymptoms and signs of asthma include lessenergy, complaining of chest tightness ortheir chest “hurting” during play.

You may notice a wheezing or a whistlingsound when breathing in or out. Keep inmind that not all coughing or wheezing iscaused by asthma. In children under fiveyears the most common cause of asthma-likesymptoms is an upper respiratory tract viralinfection such as the common cold. A fami-ly history of asthma, eczema, or allergies in-crease the likelihood of asthma being thecause of your son’s cough. A lung functiontest, which measures the amount of air inthe lungs and how fast it can be exhaled,can help diagnose asthma.

Children under five years are not able todo this test, so doctors rely heavily on a his-tory of the symptoms from the parent orguardian, and a physical examination inmaking the diagnosis. Other tests can helpidentify particular asthma triggers such as al-lergy skin testing, blood tests, or an x-ray tosee if sinus infections or reflux disease arepresent.

More and more children are developingasthma. It appears to be a disorder of theimmune system where the body fails tomake enough protective antibodies. Otherfactors that may be involved include in-creased exposure to allergens such as dust,air, pollution and second-hand smoke, aswell as a reduction in breast-feeding rates.

It is essential to get a correct diagnosis ear-ly on. Asthma that is not under control canaffect your child’s development from missedschool days to being unable to participate insports.

Q. I was at home over the Christmasholidays and couldn’t help but notice thatmy mother seems more forgetful thanusual. Is this a normal sign of getting old-er? I am worried about her as my grand-mother had Alzheimer’s. How do youknow if someone is developing this dis-ease?A. This time of the year and over holidayswhen families get together for a few days isoften when memory problems get noticedthat may not be so apparent during phonecalls or short visits. It can be difficult to dif-ferentiate between the normal changes thatoccur with ageing and the signs of some-thing more serious.

One of the most common signs ofAlzheimer’s disease is memory loss, especial-ly forgetting recently learned information,important dates or events, or asking for thesame information over and over. Forgettingnames or appointments only sometimes, but

remembering them later shouldn’t set offalarm bells, and can be typical of old age.However, other warning signs include dif-ficulty completing daily tasks such drivingto a familiar place, or difficulty remember-ing the rules of a favourite game.

People with Alzheimer’s can also losetrack of dates, and the passage of time.Sometimes they may forget where they areor how they got there. Whereas gettingconfused about the day of the week butfiguring it out later, or occasionally need-ing help to use the settings on the ovencan be normal for old age and not a reasonto worry. Memory loss alone doesn’t meanyou have Alzheimer’s.

If you have any concerns about a familymember’s memory, have them seen bytheir doctor. They will be able to take ahistory and examination as well as someurine and blood tests to see if other illness-es such as heart disease, diabetes, thyroid orvitamin B12 deficiency, or side-effectsfrom medication are causing the symp-toms. To rule out strokes, tumours or oth-er problems that can cause memory loss, abrain scan (MRI or CT) may be needed.

Anyone being tested for Alzheimer’sshould ideally have their cognitive function

tested also — this involves having a neu-ropsychological evaluation. This measureslanguage and spatial skills as well as memory,reasoning and judgement. Her doctor willrefer her to a specialist for this.

The following are steps everyone can taketo prevent or delay the onset of dementia:1. Lower blood pressure and cholesterol.2. Quit smoking.3. Keep your mind active — this includessuch things as puzzles/word games, reading,writing, learning a new skill.4. Be physically and socially active — takeregular exercise such as walking, swimming,or dancing. Be part of a group that meetsregularly — for example, card playing,games, book clubs, or theatre-going.5. Lower your homocysteine levels. Threeof the B vitamins — folic acid, B-6, B-12help lower homocysteine levels. High levelsof this amino acid appear to be associatedwith Alzheimer’s disease. Include plenty offruit and green vegetables in your diet. Theseare good sources of folic acid. Bananas,lentils, spinach, salmon, chicken,whole-wheat bread, milk and eggs are alsogood sources of B vitamins.

The herb ginkgo biloba has not beenshown to prevent memory loss.


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Deirdre O'Fly-

MOSTLY MEN

DId you know...

DENTAL CARETAKE4

Deirdre O'Flynn

MOSTLY MEN

DId you know...

Beat the bugsTAKE4Useful products to help prevent cold and fluviruses and treat them:1. NATURAL RELIEF: Nelson’s Coldenza is a

natural, homeopathic remedy that containsGelsemium 6c and stimulates the body’s ownhealing processes to provide relief from themuscle pain associated with the symptoms of acold, such as headaches, sore throats and ear,7.25 for 72 tablets.To keep bugs at bay: wash

your hands regularly andavoid touching your eyes ornose as these are the mainways the virus enters yourbody. When the central heat-ing goes back on, don’t let theair get too dry. A dry atmo-sphere dehydrates your nasalpassage, making it more sus-ceptible.

Noise-inducedhearing loss isnearly threetimes as likelyto occur in menSource: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and NeckSurgery Foundation

Cancer society seeksvolunteer driversIF YOU have time to spare,the Irish Cancer Societywould be delighted to wel-come you on to their Care toDrive initiative.The Care to Drive scheme

is operated in partnershipwith the Social WorkDepartment at StVincent’s Univer-sity Hospital(SVUH), Dublin.Carefully selectedand trained volunteers col-lect the patients from theirhomes and drive them totheir appointments and back

to their homes followingthese appointments.Rory Collins, a cancer pa-

tient from Blackrock, CoDublin has availed of theCare to Drive scheme sinceit was launched in 2008.

“The service is suchthat we are treatedwith respect, cour-tesy and dignity,”says his wife Dorothy.

“All the drivers are sohelpful and never makeyou feel as if you’re a bur-den. It really takes the pres-sure off couples like us.”

Warming up in the cold

SETTING THE TONE: Physiotherapist, Adrian Copeland, Physio Solutions, Gorey, Co Wexford,says winter is the time to build base strength. Picture: Garry O’Neill

EXERCISE is important at all timesof the year, but especially in win-ter. It’s great for relieving stress

and releasing endorphins that improve mood.Wrap up and go for a brisk walk. Don’t for-get to keep your head covered when it’s real-ly cold, as you can lose anywhere from 30%to 50% of body heat, otherwise.It’s estimated that one in three people get

no exercise at all during the winter months,so it’s no surprise that ligaments get torn andankles sprained, when we all head out in Jan-uary and February to work off the lard.“Now is the time to focus on core stability,

on building your base strength through pilatesclasses or going to the gym,” says AdrianCopeland, a physiotherapist who runs PhysioSolutions, in Gorey, Co Wexford.Focusing on core stability means strength-

ening the muscles around your midriff andback. Building up those abdominal musclesallows you to transfer energy from your legsup to your arms, when you’re exercising orparticipating in sport.“This is particularly relevant for people

who have hamstring tears or suffer from low-er back pain, neck pain or groin strains, all ofwhich can be caused by poor posture andpoor technique, in sports and general move-ment,” says Adrian.This time of year is a good time to work

on boosting body function, when guys whoplay rugby, GAA, or soccer are training lessintensively. “Pilates is great. Most men might

dismiss pilates, but there are a lot of soccerteams and rugby players doing pilates exercis-es as part of their training,” he says.If you are going to get active all of a sud-

den, watch what you wear. Dress in layers foroutside exercise. The layer closest to yourskin should be made of breathable material,avoiding cotton, which retains sweat. Add athermal layer fleece or cotton to keep inheat, and use a third, outer layer as a cover.Watch what you eat and drink. If you

over-indulge in rich foods, holiday drinksand sugary desserts, you’ll need to step upyour workout just to maintain current levelsof fitness.Stay well-hydrated and drink plenty of flu-

ids, though be sure to avoid caffeine, and al-cohol-based beverages, which also lead to de-hydration.Watch out for injuries. If you play court

sports, like tennis, in the winter months, beaware of the greater chance for falling or col-liding. Be sure you switch to shoes withgood traction, to help avoid collisions andankle injuries.

Weight-loss diets haveunhealthy side effectsLOSING weight reduces the riskof cancer, heart disease or dia-betes, but new studies show theside-effects ofsome of the mostpopular weight-lossregimes can cancelout the benefits.“None of the di-

ets reviewed arebased on solid sci-entific evidence,”says GosiaDesmond, director of nutrition re-search at The College of Naturo-pathic Medicine. “They are mis-leading and can have serious

long-term health consequences.”Short-term effects of weight-lossregimes include constipation,

bloating, gastroin-testinal discom-fort and haemor-rhoids.

■ The College ofNaturopathicMedicine hosts-Gosia Desmond’sseminar, How toStay Slim and

Healthy Forever, in Dublin onFebruary 1, and Cork on Febru-ary 2. Fee: 15. Call 01-235 3094or visit www.naturopathy.ie.

SWINE FLU: NEW laboratory research showsthat echinacea is effective against the swineflu virus, bird flu and other influenza viruses.The study’s authors say echinacea fresh plantextract is a useful addition to standard in-fluenza control measures.Prof James Hudson, department of patholo-

gy and laboratory medicine at University ofBritish Columbia, Canada, was among the re-searchers. He said: “Especially for people un-willing to be vaccinated, there is currently aneed for alternative approach-es to provide protectionagainst respiratory tract infec-tions.”The research paper is pub-

lished online in Virology Jour-nal http://www.virolo-gyj.com/content/6/1/197.

GERM KILLERS: The arrival of the H1N1swine flu virus has made us all look at theway we protect ourselves from germs andbacteria. Keeping hands clean is a key to stopthe spread of germs. New TCP hand sanitisinggel is tested against swine flu and alsokills 99.9% of germs. In a handy 100mlbottle, it provides a convenient alterna-tive to soap and water when on themove. Fragrance-free and suitable forsensitive skin, it’s 2.99 from pharma-cies.Small enough to pop into a child’s

pencil case, and a popular seller inhealth stores this winter, Soapopularpen spray, 2.99 is a gentle, alco-hol-free formula that kills 99.9% ofharmful germs, bacteria, and fungi anddoes not leave the skin dry andchapped.

BOOST IMMUNITY: Whenherbs are combined into formu-las or blends, the therapeutic ef-fects of each herb can be en-hanced. In the Irish OrganicHerbs formulation, Im-mune Boost+, 18.50, theprimary agents giving an-ti-viral, anti-bacterial andimmune support areechinacea, astragalus,goldenseal and thyme— with ginger actingas a secondary agentaiding digestion, circu-lation and absorption.It’s available in healthstores, or see www.io-honline.com.


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XH - V1

Deirdre O'Fly-

MOSTLY MEN

DId you know...

DENTAL CARETAKE4

Deirdre O'Flynn

MOSTLY MEN

DId you know...

Beat the bugsTAKE4Useful products to help prevent cold and fluviruses and treat them:1. NATURAL RELIEF: Nelson’s Coldenza is a

natural, homeopathic remedy that containsGelsemium 6c and stimulates the body’s ownhealing processes to provide relief from themuscle pain associated with the symptoms of acold, such as headaches, sore throats and ear,7.25 for 72 tablets.To keep bugs at bay: wash

your hands regularly andavoid touching your eyes ornose as these are the mainways the virus enters yourbody. When the central heat-ing goes back on, don’t let theair get too dry. A dry atmo-sphere dehydrates your nasalpassage, making it more sus-ceptible.

Noise-inducedhearing loss isnearly threetimes as likelyto occur in menSource: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and NeckSurgery Foundation

Cancer society seeksvolunteer driversIF YOU have time to spare,the Irish Cancer Societywould be delighted to wel-come you on to their Care toDrive initiative.The Care to Drive scheme

is operated in partnershipwith the Social WorkDepartment at StVincent’s Univer-sity Hospital(SVUH), Dublin.Carefully selectedand trained volunteers col-lect the patients from theirhomes and drive them totheir appointments and back

to their homes followingthese appointments.Rory Collins, a cancer pa-

tient from Blackrock, CoDublin has availed of theCare to Drive scheme sinceit was launched in 2008.

“The service is suchthat we are treatedwith respect, cour-tesy and dignity,”says his wife Dorothy.

“All the drivers are sohelpful and never makeyou feel as if you’re a bur-den. It really takes the pres-sure off couples like us.”

Warming up in the cold

SETTING THE TONE: Physiotherapist, Adrian Copeland, Physio Solutions, Gorey, Co Wexford,says winter is the time to build base strength. Picture: Garry O’Neill

EXERCISE is important at all timesof the year, but especially in win-ter. It’s great for relieving stress

and releasing endorphins that improve mood.Wrap up and go for a brisk walk. Don’t for-get to keep your head covered when it’s real-ly cold, as you can lose anywhere from 30%to 50% of body heat, otherwise.It’s estimated that one in three people get

no exercise at all during the winter months,so it’s no surprise that ligaments get torn andankles sprained, when we all head out in Jan-uary and February to work off the lard.“Now is the time to focus on core stability,

on building your base strength through pilatesclasses or going to the gym,” says AdrianCopeland, a physiotherapist who runs PhysioSolutions, in Gorey, Co Wexford.Focusing on core stability means strength-

ening the muscles around your midriff andback. Building up those abdominal musclesallows you to transfer energy from your legsup to your arms, when you’re exercising orparticipating in sport.“This is particularly relevant for people

who have hamstring tears or suffer from low-er back pain, neck pain or groin strains, all ofwhich can be caused by poor posture andpoor technique, in sports and general move-ment,” says Adrian.This time of year is a good time to work

on boosting body function, when guys whoplay rugby, GAA, or soccer are training lessintensively. “Pilates is great. Most men might

dismiss pilates, but there are a lot of soccerteams and rugby players doing pilates exercis-es as part of their training,” he says.If you are going to get active all of a sud-

den, watch what you wear. Dress in layers foroutside exercise. The layer closest to yourskin should be made of breathable material,avoiding cotton, which retains sweat. Add athermal layer fleece or cotton to keep inheat, and use a third, outer layer as a cover.Watch what you eat and drink. If you

over-indulge in rich foods, holiday drinksand sugary desserts, you’ll need to step upyour workout just to maintain current levelsof fitness.Stay well-hydrated and drink plenty of flu-

ids, though be sure to avoid caffeine, and al-cohol-based beverages, which also lead to de-hydration.Watch out for injuries. If you play court

sports, like tennis, in the winter months, beaware of the greater chance for falling or col-liding. Be sure you switch to shoes withgood traction, to help avoid collisions andankle injuries.

Weight-loss diets haveunhealthy side effectsLOSING weight reduces the riskof cancer, heart disease or dia-betes, but new studies show theside-effects ofsome of the mostpopular weight-lossregimes can cancelout the benefits.“None of the di-

ets reviewed arebased on solid sci-entific evidence,”says GosiaDesmond, director of nutrition re-search at The College of Naturo-pathic Medicine. “They are mis-leading and can have serious

long-term health consequences.”Short-term effects of weight-lossregimes include constipation,

bloating, gastroin-testinal discom-fort and haemor-rhoids.

■ The College ofNaturopathicMedicine hosts-Gosia Desmond’sseminar, How toStay Slim and

Healthy Forever, in Dublin onFebruary 1, and Cork on Febru-ary 2. Fee: 15. Call 01-235 3094or visit www.naturopathy.ie.

SWINE FLU: NEW laboratory research showsthat echinacea is effective against the swineflu virus, bird flu and other influenza viruses.The study’s authors say echinacea fresh plantextract is a useful addition to standard in-fluenza control measures.Prof James Hudson, department of patholo-

gy and laboratory medicine at University ofBritish Columbia, Canada, was among the re-searchers. He said: “Especially for people un-willing to be vaccinated, there is currently aneed for alternative approach-es to provide protectionagainst respiratory tract infec-tions.”The research paper is pub-

lished online in Virology Jour-nal http://www.virolo-gyj.com/content/6/1/197.

GERM KILLERS: The arrival of the H1N1swine flu virus has made us all look at theway we protect ourselves from germs andbacteria. Keeping hands clean is a key to stopthe spread of germs. New TCP hand sanitisinggel is tested against swine flu and alsokills 99.9% of germs. In a handy 100mlbottle, it provides a convenient alterna-tive to soap and water when on themove. Fragrance-free and suitable forsensitive skin, it’s 2.99 from pharma-cies.Small enough to pop into a child’s

pencil case, and a popular seller inhealth stores this winter, Soapopularpen spray, 2.99 is a gentle, alco-hol-free formula that kills 99.9% ofharmful germs, bacteria, and fungi anddoes not leave the skin dry andchapped.

BOOST IMMUNITY: Whenherbs are combined into formu-las or blends, the therapeutic ef-fects of each herb can be en-hanced. In the Irish OrganicHerbs formulation, Im-mune Boost+, 18.50, theprimary agents giving an-ti-viral, anti-bacterial andimmune support areechinacea, astragalus,goldenseal and thyme— with ginger actingas a secondary agentaiding digestion, circu-lation and absorption.It’s available in healthstores, or see www.io-honline.com.


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XH - V1

MeganSheppard

Do you have a questionfor Megan Sheppard?Email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Megan puts the spotlight on: NewYear Resolutions

If you don’thave apartnerand/or

children, thenconsider

those who areimportant to

you —including pets

MOST of us have made our resolutionswith the best of intentions, but life so of-ten gets in the way, and one by one thebest laid plans fall by the wayside. Hereare three useful tips that can help even thebusiest person come through on theirNew Year’s health resolutions.

1. Start as you mean to go on:Begin the day by throwing open the cur-tains, letting in what light there is and getyour body clock back on track. Reduceyour coffee intake, or consider replacing itwith an alternative that willsupport your liver, such as adandelion and chicory blend.Opt for oats with fruit overtoast or processed cereals —these will sustain you forlonger and are less likely toset you up for unhealthycravings during the day. If

you know that you won’t have time to sitand eat a bowl of oats, then prepare themthe night before by soaking them in coldwater and then chop some fresh fruit intothe mix and take it to work in a sealed con-tainer. Juicing and smoothies are a brilliantalternative for people who fly out the doorin the morning.

2. Involve your familyMake time to just be with your family — itdoesn’t have to be anything planned orstimulating, time and presence are worth

more and usually involveless stress and money. Ifyou don’t have a partnerand/or children, then con-sider those who are impor-tant to you — includingpets! Regular connectionwith loved ones has actual-ly been proven to increase

your physical and emotional wellbeing.

3. Be realisticIf you want to tackle a myriad of healthissues, then you are likely setting your-self up for an impossible task. Pick one ortwo to focus on and work from there. Al-so consider carefully your choice ofremedies. If you are unlikely to remem-ber to take vitamins three times daily,then find a one-a-day supplement. If youfind it difficult to commit to regular ses-sions of a particular health treatment,then arrange your appointments in ad-vance for the next six months and haveyour practitioner contact you with a re-minder notice or phone call.

4. Finally, remember we are granted afresh set of 24 hours to make changes,learn from our mistakes, and celebrateour successes.

CLEAN SWEEP: If you consume fruits or juices at breakfast, then there is even more reasonto brush your teeth before you eat.

Q I have always wondered if it isbest to brush your teeth beforeor after breakfast in the morn-ings. My husband believes it is

pointless to brush his teeth before eating,while I prefer to clean my teeth first thingupon rising in the morning. Is one methodmore beneficial than the other?

A. This is indeed a topic which can dividepeople, and is more often than not a case ofdoing whatever you were brought up to do.In fact, even dentists are divided on the issue,which suggests that there is no true right orwrong answer. Personally, I am with you,and prefer to brush my teeth before I eat inthe mornings. Bacteria form when we sleep,and the food we consume for breakfast sim-ply provides more fuel for the bacterialcolonies to grow. It is also difficult to brushyour teeth when you have just eaten, since itoften amounts to little more than pushingfood particles around the mouth — far easierto start with squeaky clean teeth and thengive a quick rinse with plain water or mouthwash after breakfast.

If you consume fruits or juices at breakfast,then there is even more reason to brush yourteeth before you eat. The acid in fruits andjuices tend to soften the tooth enamel,which can then be more easily worn downby subsequent brushing. Over time this canerode the enamel to the point where theteeth become extremely sensitive and prob-lematic.

During our waking hours, when themouth and teeth are active, saliva is producedin order to help care for our teeth. Very littlesaliva is produced while we sleep, which fur-ther supports my case for brushing beforeconsuming food or drink in the morning.However, this is still a matter of opinion, andif your husband still prefers to brush his teethafter breakfast then you may well be bestagreeing to disagree on this issue. One lastpoint on brushing technique. I was recentlyintroduced to the Bass Method of brushing,and I cannot believe that I have never beenshown this particular method before. It isparticularly good for the gums, particularly ifbleeding or gingivitis is an ongoing issue, butessentially is one of the best ways to preventbacterial build-up in the mouth.

The Bass technique cleans the teeth, gums,and the area (usually around 1mm) wherethe gum overlaps onto the tooth surface.This last area is where food debris andplaque accumulate easily, and so is a havenfor bacteria.

Start at the back of the mouth and workyour way around by focusing on each tooth,brushing at an angle of 45 degrees so thatthe bristles are clearing the space betweengum and tooth. Try to brush right aroundeach tooth so that the interdental spaces are

also attended to (you may need a special in-terdental brush for this — consult your den-tist if you have gum issues). The pressure re-quired is very gentle, and the movementsshould be short back-and-forth vibrations orsmall circles (around 10-20 back and forth,or 5-6 circles). Flossing beforehand is crucial,as is rinsing afterwards. Happy brushing!

Q. I have a good friend who has recent-ly been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Shehas been told that there is nothing that canbe done. I was wondering if you knew ofanything that could be useful to help her,as any information at all would be greatlyappreciated.A. This is one of those conditions, muchlike Chronic Fatigue, and ME, which is stillquite a mystery to the medical profession andsufferers alike. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chron-ic musculoskeletal disorder which is generallycharacterised by widespread aching, fatigue,disturbed sleep, and in particular, tendernessat specific points on the body.

It is known that it is an auto-immune dis-order which is mostly seen in females overthe age of 50 years. Symptoms appear out of

nowhere, which makes this all the more frus-trating for all concerned. While it does notrespond well to conventional treatment, it isthought that intestinal health is closelylinked, with around 40-70% of sufferers hav-ing an irritable type of bowel condition.

So any treatment should ideally start withintestinal work — in particular taking a goodquality probiotic and reducing or eliminatingwheat and dairy. It is amazing how muchprogress can be made just through dietaryadjustments.

There is also a physical therapy whichshows great promise in treating FM — theBowen Technique. Bowen involves a seriesof gentle pressures to specific areas, enablingthe body to self-regulate and initiate an indi-vidual pattern of healing. For more informa-tion regarding this technique, contact JoanHewetson (087-6448477), a Bowen therapistin Cork city recommended by the EuropeanCollege of Bowen Studies.

The Cork Fibromyalgia Support Groupcan be contacted on 021-4320201 and hasmonthly meetings to provide support and in-formation for people dealing with thispainful condition.


15


XH - V1

MeganSheppard

Do you have a questionfor Megan Sheppard?Email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Megan puts the spotlight on: NewYear Resolutions

If you don’thave apartnerand/or

children, thenconsider

those who areimportant to

you —including pets

MOST of us have made our resolutionswith the best of intentions, but life so of-ten gets in the way, and one by one thebest laid plans fall by the wayside. Hereare three useful tips that can help even thebusiest person come through on theirNew Year’s health resolutions.

1. Start as you mean to go on:Begin the day by throwing open the cur-tains, letting in what light there is and getyour body clock back on track. Reduceyour coffee intake, or consider replacing itwith an alternative that willsupport your liver, such as adandelion and chicory blend.Opt for oats with fruit overtoast or processed cereals —these will sustain you forlonger and are less likely toset you up for unhealthycravings during the day. If

you know that you won’t have time to sitand eat a bowl of oats, then prepare themthe night before by soaking them in coldwater and then chop some fresh fruit intothe mix and take it to work in a sealed con-tainer. Juicing and smoothies are a brilliantalternative for people who fly out the doorin the morning.

2. Involve your familyMake time to just be with your family — itdoesn’t have to be anything planned orstimulating, time and presence are worth

more and usually involveless stress and money. Ifyou don’t have a partnerand/or children, then con-sider those who are impor-tant to you — includingpets! Regular connectionwith loved ones has actual-ly been proven to increase

your physical and emotional wellbeing.

3. Be realisticIf you want to tackle a myriad of healthissues, then you are likely setting your-self up for an impossible task. Pick one ortwo to focus on and work from there. Al-so consider carefully your choice ofremedies. If you are unlikely to remem-ber to take vitamins three times daily,then find a one-a-day supplement. If youfind it difficult to commit to regular ses-sions of a particular health treatment,then arrange your appointments in ad-vance for the next six months and haveyour practitioner contact you with a re-minder notice or phone call.

4. Finally, remember we are granted afresh set of 24 hours to make changes,learn from our mistakes, and celebrateour successes.

CLEAN SWEEP: If you consume fruits or juices at breakfast, then there is even more reasonto brush your teeth before you eat.

Q I have always wondered if it isbest to brush your teeth beforeor after breakfast in the morn-ings. My husband believes it is

pointless to brush his teeth before eating,while I prefer to clean my teeth first thingupon rising in the morning. Is one methodmore beneficial than the other?

A. This is indeed a topic which can dividepeople, and is more often than not a case ofdoing whatever you were brought up to do.In fact, even dentists are divided on the issue,which suggests that there is no true right orwrong answer. Personally, I am with you,and prefer to brush my teeth before I eat inthe mornings. Bacteria form when we sleep,and the food we consume for breakfast sim-ply provides more fuel for the bacterialcolonies to grow. It is also difficult to brushyour teeth when you have just eaten, since itoften amounts to little more than pushingfood particles around the mouth — far easierto start with squeaky clean teeth and thengive a quick rinse with plain water or mouthwash after breakfast.

If you consume fruits or juices at breakfast,then there is even more reason to brush yourteeth before you eat. The acid in fruits andjuices tend to soften the tooth enamel,which can then be more easily worn downby subsequent brushing. Over time this canerode the enamel to the point where theteeth become extremely sensitive and prob-lematic.

During our waking hours, when themouth and teeth are active, saliva is producedin order to help care for our teeth. Very littlesaliva is produced while we sleep, which fur-ther supports my case for brushing beforeconsuming food or drink in the morning.However, this is still a matter of opinion, andif your husband still prefers to brush his teethafter breakfast then you may well be bestagreeing to disagree on this issue. One lastpoint on brushing technique. I was recentlyintroduced to the Bass Method of brushing,and I cannot believe that I have never beenshown this particular method before. It isparticularly good for the gums, particularly ifbleeding or gingivitis is an ongoing issue, butessentially is one of the best ways to preventbacterial build-up in the mouth.

The Bass technique cleans the teeth, gums,and the area (usually around 1mm) wherethe gum overlaps onto the tooth surface.This last area is where food debris andplaque accumulate easily, and so is a havenfor bacteria.

Start at the back of the mouth and workyour way around by focusing on each tooth,brushing at an angle of 45 degrees so thatthe bristles are clearing the space betweengum and tooth. Try to brush right aroundeach tooth so that the interdental spaces are

also attended to (you may need a special in-terdental brush for this — consult your den-tist if you have gum issues). The pressure re-quired is very gentle, and the movementsshould be short back-and-forth vibrations orsmall circles (around 10-20 back and forth,or 5-6 circles). Flossing beforehand is crucial,as is rinsing afterwards. Happy brushing!

Q. I have a good friend who has recent-ly been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Shehas been told that there is nothing that canbe done. I was wondering if you knew ofanything that could be useful to help her,as any information at all would be greatlyappreciated.A. This is one of those conditions, muchlike Chronic Fatigue, and ME, which is stillquite a mystery to the medical profession andsufferers alike. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chron-ic musculoskeletal disorder which is generallycharacterised by widespread aching, fatigue,disturbed sleep, and in particular, tendernessat specific points on the body.

It is known that it is an auto-immune dis-order which is mostly seen in females overthe age of 50 years. Symptoms appear out of

nowhere, which makes this all the more frus-trating for all concerned. While it does notrespond well to conventional treatment, it isthought that intestinal health is closelylinked, with around 40-70% of sufferers hav-ing an irritable type of bowel condition.

So any treatment should ideally start withintestinal work — in particular taking a goodquality probiotic and reducing or eliminatingwheat and dairy. It is amazing how muchprogress can be made just through dietaryadjustments.

There is also a physical therapy whichshows great promise in treating FM — theBowen Technique. Bowen involves a seriesof gentle pressures to specific areas, enablingthe body to self-regulate and initiate an indi-vidual pattern of healing. For more informa-tion regarding this technique, contact JoanHewetson (087-6448477), a Bowen therapistin Cork city recommended by the EuropeanCollege of Bowen Studies.

The Cork Fibromyalgia Support Groupcan be contacted on 021-4320201 and hasmonthly meetings to provide support and in-formation for people dealing with thispainful condition.

Feelgood 08-03-2010

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